Month: May 2025

Studies in First Peter Part 21

“¹⁸For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; ¹⁹in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, ²⁰who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.  ²¹Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him” (I Peter 3:18-22).

“Christ died for our sins once for all, the just for the unjust.”  This sums up the gospel about as succinctly as one can.  Christ died to take away our sins.  He is the righteous one – just.  We were the guilty ones – unjust.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  This death in our place, the just for the unjust, was an act of His grace powered by God’s incredible love for us.

Christ’s physical self was put to death on the cross.  He was then raised, made alive in the Spirit.  Then Peter, as if out of the blue, references Christ going to preach to the spirits of Noah’s day.  Who exactly these spirits were, I do not know.

Here are two thoughts on the spirits in prison from the study notes of the NET Bible.  This may refer to 1) Christ’s proclamation of His victory over evil to the fallen angels who await judgment for their role in leading the people of Noah’s day into sin.  Or 2) Christ’s preaching of repentance through Noah to the unrighteous humans, now dead and confined in hell, who lived in the days of Noah.

At any rate, the reference to the salvation of Noah through the flood is a picture of us being saved by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  John the Baptist baptized with water, Jesus with the Holy Spirit.  “John answered and said to them all, ‘As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).

Our true baptism that saves is not water baptism – “the removal of dirt,” but the true baptism of the Holy Spirit.  In that baptism we were immersed into the Spirit and the Spirit was immersed into us.  We are fused.  We and the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

A key component of that baptism, our salvation is “the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  Our baptism is a picture of us joining Christ in His death and resurrection.  “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection” (Romans 6:3-5).

The resurrection of Jesus was the penultimate declaration of Jesus as the Son of God and as such proclaimed the success of His saving death in our place.  “Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

And having secured our salvation, Christ has now taken His rightful place “at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.”  Amen!

Studies in First Peter Part 20

“¹⁵But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; ¹⁶and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.  ¹⁷For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong” (I Peter 3:15-17).

Starting back in chapter 2 and continuing through these verses, Peter is laying out what “excellent behavior” (I Peter 2:12) looks like in various situations.  He writes about our reputation with outsiders, submitting to human authority, silencing ignorant and foolish critics, using our freedom for good, following Jesus’ example of suffering and not returning evil for evil, submitting to each other in marriage, living harmoniously in the body, and suffering without fear.

He wraps up this topic with these thoughts.  Recognize “Christ as Lord” in your new heart.  This is His new home.  He is in you.  He is on the throne and your old master sin has been kicked to the curb.  When you live in this reality, folks will see a hope in you that is supernatural.  Be prepared to explain where this hope comes from.

Here is an observation from my own life about how this works.  I used to feel uneasy about this verse, like I had to have some sort of apologetics answer ready about Jesus.  Some textbook iron-clad proof for who Jesus is.  Some intellectual defense of the gospel.  It really was unrelated to what was in me personally.  After all, what was in me was a lot of confusion.  I was more comfortable talking about who I wanted to be instead of who I was.  Who would want to know or who would be blessed by the confusion in me?

But now, basking in the grace of God, I am eager to talk about the hope in me because it is REAL.  Not only is it real, but it is life-giving, joyful, and powerful.  All that Christ has promised in the new covenant is not just someone I would like to be in the future, it is who I am NOW.  There is no pride in sharing that truth, only gratitude for the grace of God.  And I have seen this ease in talking about the real experience of the grace of God in my grace-captured friends as well.

Your good behavior not only shines a light on Jesus, but it puts your slanderers to shame.  Slandering you for doing good is the best they can come up with?  If suffering for your behavior is coming your way, it is better to be for righteousness.  “Your good behavior in Christ” is not legalism, it is the righteousness of Christ being expressed through you!